Scalia Replacement Talk Heats Up Presidential Debate

The South Carolina Republican debate opened with tributes to U.S. Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia, then quickly turned into a squabble over his replacement.
 
Scalia's death thrust the future of the high court into the center of a heated presidential campaign.
 
The GOP candidates insisted that President Barack Obama step aside and let his successor nominate Scalia's replacement instead, a position the White House vigorously opposed.
 
Among the contenders, only Jeb Bush said Obama had "every right" to nominate a justice during his final year in office. The former Florida governor said the presidency must be a strong office — though he added that he didn't expect Obama to pick a candidate who could win consensus support.
 
The other candidates urged the Republican-led Senate to block any attempts by the president to put his third nominee on the court.
 
"It's up to Mitch McConnell and everybody else to stop it," Donald Trump said. "It's called delay, delay, delay."
 
Texas Sen. Ted Cruz said that allowing approval of another Obama nominee would amount to Republicans giving up control of the Supreme Court for a generation.
 
"One of the most important judgments for the men and women of South Carolina to make is who on this stage has the background, the principle, the character, the judgment and the strength of resolve to nominate and confirm principled constitutionalists to the court," Cruz said.
 
After respectfully participating in a moment of silence for Scalia, candidates began to lash out at one another.
 
Cruz and Sen. Marco Rubio revived their fight over immigration. Cruz criticized Rubio's sponsorship of  legislation that would have created a pathway to citizenship for those living in the United States illegally.
 
Trump accused Bush of lying about Trump's business record and said Bush's brother, former President George W. Bush, lied to the public about the Iraq war.
 
Bush did not shy away from confronting Trump. He said that while he didn't mind the businessman criticizing him, he was "sick and tired of him going after my family."
 
But it was Gov. John Kasich and former neurosurgeon Ben Carson who warned that the bickering could hurt the Republican party in the upcoming general election.
 
"We cannot be tearing each other down," Carson said.
 
"I think we're fixing to lose the election to Hillary Clinton if we don't stop this," Kasich said.
 
Cruz, Trump, Rubio, and Bush failed to heed the appeals as the pressure mounts for candidates to finish well in South Carolina's Feburary 20 primary.